Eight writers in four states and on three continents talking about what it takes to make a great story.

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Freelance Writing

In my long-ago, faraway dreams (reality check: when I started writing in earnest 5 years ago), I had always intended to be traditionally published. In fact, if you looked at my goal wall displayed prominently in my office, the goal right smack in the middle (after writing a good book and before being a bestselling author) was “traditional publication” with logos of some of the big publishing houses. I was always so certain of it…publication, that is, even knowing much of that decision was out of my hands.

Over time, I became a lot less certain. Things started happening…fellow Eight Lady Jeanne won the Golden Heart (which used to be carte blanche in terms of getting an agent/editor), but no one picked her up (she has since decided to go indie. Yay Jeanne!). Last September, I went on a writer’s cruise and the editor expounded on the genres that she couldn’t buy…historicals being one of them. I was unnerved by that, but didn’t let it deter me. Continue reading →

Earlier this week while surfing the internet aimlessly, I came across some writing posts that got me thinking. In her recent Facebook post, author Elizabeth Gilbert, had this to say about creativity and money:

“Please understand that I have NOTHING against people wanting to make money out of their art. I always wanted to make money out of my art, I always strived to make money out of my art, and now I do make money out of my art, and I am grateful as hell. . . .The reason I always maintained other streams of income was because I never wanted to burden my creativity with the task of providing for me in the material world.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert